One Man's Dream
by JohnDoggettisaBadass
Summary: Post S6:E15 'Arcadia' but before 'Alpha'. Minor spoilers for FTF and past seasons. After going undercover as a married couple in California, Mulder begins to realize that he can no longer repress his feelings for Scully and that their fake marriage just made what he truly wants so much more clear.
1. The Phone Call

**Fox Mulder's Apartment**

 **Washington D.C.**

 **9:04 pm**

Agent Mulder sat slumped into the curvature of his old brown couch staring at a blank TV screen as he pondered the events of his and his partner's most recent case. He had his doubts about it being an X-File at first, but by the end of those few days there was no other explanation for what he had seen. Scully, per usual, had missed all incriminating evidence to point to a supernatural phenomenon and was doubtful of what he and she had discussed on the flight back to Washington. They had "solved" yet another case that was defined by the Bureau as unsolvable and as usual were going to receive no credit for it. Skinner hadn't even demanded a case report from their time in California, instead choosing to reprimand them for turning up no solid evidence on the mysterious disappearances of three other members of the planned community. The man Mulder had arrested wasn't even going to court for what he had done on account of the fact that Skinner said quote, 'No judge in America would take this insane story crazy'. So in hindsight this case had essentially just wasted precious FBI resources. Not that he gave a shit about FBI bureaucracy, but he did feel bad for Skinner who had to deal with all the quote 'useless theories' that he reported. Lying there on that couch three beers in though Mulder did realize that probably the only reason they were allowed to pursue X-Files anymore was because of his skeptical, over-bearing, analytical, stick-up-her-ass partner, the wonderful Dana Scully.

She had kept him honest even in the face of overwhelming lies and cover-ups, something he had actually confessed to her in the hallway outside his apartment not too long ago. He thought about that night quite a bit actually. He had held her face in his hands and she had held his in hers…he had looked down into her deep blue eyes as he had tried to kiss her. He had wanted to kiss her for so long but never knew how before that night. She had been taken from him…and when he had found her in Antarctica and muttered those words to him he realized he felt something more for his partner, more than a friendship.

'Had you big time' she had said after he had resuscitated her. Oh how he loved those words coming from her mouth.

But of course he had reverted to his friendship and work relationship with her afterwards. He didn't want to ruin what they had now by pressing her. If there was one thing he knew for sure about Dana Scully, it was that she didn't like to be put in a corner.

After they had been assigned the undercover case in California, he got to live out some parts of his fantasy life. He of course didn't wish to become a stay-at-home husband and live in blazing hot California pretending to be enjoy simple things like fresh coffee in the morning or the smell of freshly mowed lawn. However, there was one thing from this case he had enjoyed more than anything. He wondered if she felt the same way…

Mulder reached for the phone next to his couch and gave in to the urge to call her. It rang once before she picked up.

"Scully," she said simply.

"Hey Scully it's me," he replied.

"What is it Mulder?" she asked after an awkward pause.

"Oh," he said realizing he had really just called to hear her voice. "Uh just wondering about the case in San Diego, you really didn't see anything while you were inside that closet?" he asked trying to sound like that was his only reason for calling.

"No Mulder," she replied back sternly. "For the last time I did not see anything to substantiate your version of events."

When did she ever… "No dirty trash monster?" he asked.

"Nothing," she answered. "You need to let go of this case Mulder, Skinner doesn't want reports from us, hell, be happy for once, we don't have to do any paperwork."

Be happy for once. He let that statement simmer in his head. Is that really what she thought? That he was never happy? How could he not be, he spent all week with her.

"Mulder? You there?" she asked a few seconds later.

"Yeah Scully," he said sighing. "I just wanted to prove this one ya know?"

"Well you proved one thing Mulder," she said calmly.

"What's that?" he asked quizzically.

"You're a terrible husband Rob," she said jokingly.

"I was not!" he responded defensively but was secretly glad she had brought it up. If she was thinking about it, like he was, maybe that meant something…even if he had been a terrible husband.

"Oh sure Rob," she teased getting into character. "You completely overstepped your boundaries this time."

Oh God, boundaries. Now they were getting somewhere. "Excuse me? When did I do that?" he asked trying to sound as surprised as possible.

"Well when you didn't have your arm around me, which was 24/7," she reminded him, "let's see, you called me honey bunch or perhaps when you enticed me to sleep with you."

Hearing her just say those last three words got him excited in more than one way. He wished they could talk like this after every case. "I did not entice you to sleep _with_ me Laura," he said coolly, "I was just motioning that you could sleep _next_ to me, we were newlyweds after all."

She could practically see him grinning over the phone, but he couldn't see her doing the same.

"Mulder."

"Mhm?"

"You have the sex-drive of a teenage boy."

Now that one caught him off guard. "Touché Scully," he replied. He heard her sigh.

"Goodnight Mulder," she said sweetly as she had done so many times before.

"Hey, Scully hold on a sec," he said not entirely sure what he was thinking. "I just uh…wanted you to know that I uh…well I…you see-,"

"Spit it out Mulder," she said not as sweetly this time.

He sighed and gave up, letting those few fleeting moments of courage disappear into thin air.

"Never mind, goodnight Scully," he said plainly.

There were a few seconds of nothing where he thought she might have been thinking about what he might have said, but it quickly ended with her beautiful voice taking its place.

"Night Mulder."

He heard the line click and set the phone down back onto the receiver. He fell over on the couch and covered his face in his hands trying to wipe the tiredness from his eyes. He was not successful and fell asleep shortly thereafter, his last thoughts consumed by images of his favorite G-woman standing next to him, not as his partner, but as something more.


	2. The Note

**Dana Scully's Apartment**

 **Washington D.C.**

 **9:10 pm**

She set her phone down onto the receiver and lay back in the warm confines of her bed trying to get work out of her head. That proved hard to do as her mind wandered to thoughts of the case in California and Mulder's apparent obsession with it. He had treated this case as a joke in the beginning, even going as far to tease her and say that she 'just wanted to play house'. Sometimes she really disliked how her partner's words could have such an immense effect on her. She had thought about those words all through that first night, and then when he lay on the bed and motioned for her to join him…Well she almost had. A part in the very back of her brain awakened and had tempted her to cuddle up next to him right then and there. But she had repressed that part of her brain, just as she had for the past few years.

Her relationship with Mulder was far from professional, but they had never crossed the line into…uncharted territory. They had come close…oh so close. Antarctica, the night before Antarctica, when he had almost kissed her…she had almost kissed him. She lay there replaying the memory in her head just as she had done more times than she could count. She had felt him lean in and lower his head to hers. She had felt her own lips tremble as she leaned into him, her mouth opened just as she had felt the sting on the back of her neck. She had collapsed into his arms as everything had faded to black. And then, when she had awoken, he was there again. He was always there. She drifted to sleep thinking about him, as she had done many times before.

 **FBI Building**

 **Washington D.C.**

 **The Following Day**

 **11:24 am**

"Hey Mulder I'm going out for lunch, want me to bring you back something?"

Mulder looked up from the file he was buried in and saw Scully heading out the door of the basement office jacket in hand.

"Where you going?" he asked plainly.

"I was thinking Dave's Subs," she replied quickly.

"Ah, um sure I'll take a #16 on sourdough," he said suddenly realizing he hadn't eaten breakfast that morning.

She nodded and turned to open the door and leave the office.

"Oh hold on Scully," Mulder said quickly getting up from his desk and fumbling through his wallet for cash. He walked over to her as she stuck out her hand to stop him.

"Oh don't worry I've got-," She was cut off by Mulder tripping and dropping his wallet on the floor in front of her. She kneeled and helped him collect all the loose change he had dropped. She handed him a few coins and rested her eyes on a small folded piece of paper lying on the carpet. It had two letters on it, "D.S." and looked somewhat crumpled.

She moved her hand to pick it up but just before she reached it her partners hand slid beneath hers and stole the paper out from under her fingers. She looked up at him as he finished collecting his things keeping his eyes away from her gaze.

"Mulder what was that?" she asked interrogatively.

He didn't look at her and stood up straight shoving a few dollar bills into her palm.

"Here, for the sandwich, thanks," he said quickly moving back to his desk and taking a seat.

She stood there for a few seconds longer looking at him quizzically, he wasn't acting like his usual self, in fact, he had barely acted like himself the entire day. He had been strangely quiet.

"Mulder…," she said confusingly.

He put on his glasses and looked up from his desk at her plainly. "Yeah?"

"What was that?" she asked again staying standing in the spot where she had seen the small note.

"What was what?" he asked cocking his head slightly to one side.

She let out a scoff and looked into his hazel eyes with confusion. Was he just going to pretend he didn't steal that note out from under her hand?

"The piece of paper on the ground, the note," she clarified.

He looked back at her with utter confusion. "Note? Sorry Scully I didn't see any notes…,"

She wanted to slap him. "Mulder it was a note and it fell out of your wallet and when I went to pick it up you-,"

"Scully I thought you were going to get lunch and quite frankly I'm starving so could you please obsess about this note on your own time? Thanks."

She was stunned by his denial but even more by his sudden change in attitude. She glared back at him for a few seconds as he returned to reading the file. She turned and slammed the office door on her way out.

He waited a few seconds before taking off his glasses and rubbing his face in anxiety. Jesus Christ he thought, she almost saw the goddamned note. He banged his head down on his desk three times for good measure. He wasn't sure why he had snapped at her, but he knew he was due for some harsh words when she got back, which was okay, as long as she didn't see the note…or the picture.


	3. The Discovery

**Author's Note: Hope you all enjoy chapter three! I'm thinking it'll be four or five chapters total so stay tuned for the ending :P Up soon!**

 **FBI Building**

 **Washington D.C.**

 **Friday**

 **6:34 pm**

It had been three days since the 'note' incident and Mulder hadn't said anything to his partner. Not that he was planning on it, he had hidden that note since Antarctica and had almost forgotten about it until it fell out of his wallet right in front of her. He wasn't even quite sure why he had kept it this long. He tried to throw it away the night of the incident but couldn't bring himself to do it, there was just something special about knowing he had it on his person at all times.

And then there was the picture. Thank God Scully hadn't seen that, he thought. As soon as he saw it fall from his wallet he immediately went to swipe it away from her gaze. It wasn't a picture he was ashamed of, or scared too have, it was a picture that if she found out he had they would have to have serious talks about their…relationship.

Hell she might request a transfer if she ever found out about the two precious things he kept in his wallet. Maybe she would think he was obsessive or…spooky. Maybe after six years together she would finally realize she had made a mistake by continuing to work with Spooky Mulder and finally quit to go be a doctor. He wouldn't be able to live, let alone work without her so he kept the note and the picture hidden away from her prying eyes. It was for the best.

"See you Monday Mulder."

He looked up from staring off into space and saw Scully headed out the door of their basement office. Oh how he hated saying goodbye to her, even if it was just for the weekend.

"Have a good weekend Scully," he said smiling.

She nodded and left the basement office. He sensed the tension from when he snapped at her a few days ago was still lingering but had receded for the most part. He hadn't talked to her about it and hadn't apologized for the way he had acted out of fear that she might bring up the note again. He was afraid the next time she brought it up he wouldn't be able to dodge her questions, she always had a way of getting him to open up to her.

She shut the office door and hid in a nearby hallway in waiting. She hadn't forgotten about the note incident, in fact it had dominated her thoughts for the last three days. After thinking long and hard the previous night, she settled on doing some spying.

She knew that every Friday after she left the office he went down to the archives to file whatever editing he had done to case files over the previous week. She also knew the archives didn't allow any personal belongings to enter the warehouse, and since Mulder and her were the only ones with keys to the X-Files offices, there was a good chance he would leave his wallet behind.

She hid around a corner just down the hallway from their office and heard the door open. Seconds later Mulder walked out and locked the door behind him. She watched him turn and head towards the elevators down the adjacent hallway. When she thought the coast was clear she walked back to the office door, unlocked it and walked inside.

She turned around and scanned his desk for his wallet. Nothing. Shit…could he have taken it with him? She did a 180 degree turn and her eyes locked on his jacket on the coat hanger near the door. She walked over to it and quickly began to rummage through the pockets. Nothing in the outside pockets, she reached inside the jacket and caught a quick whiff of his cologne, she almost felt like hugging the coat hanger right there. She could never get enough of his scent.

Whenever he leaned in close to her or hugged her or held her she had always melted into him on account of his cologne. She had noticed that he had changed his cologne a few times over the years, but he still retained his classic Mulder smell. She became addicted to his aroma…especially during this last case in California. He had his arm around her practically that entire case, but the truth was she hadn't minded one bit, she came to feel comfortable under his wing.

She realized she had let her mind wander and tried to get back to the matter at hand. She reached in the inside pocket and found the leather pouch she had been seeking. She quickly pulled it out and scavenged through its contents.

Credit cards, a few spare dollar bills, the gift card to Sport's R Us she had gotten him for Christmas, a picture of Samantha, the business card for a phone sex hotline…Jesus Mulder really? Phone sex? She put her judgements aside and continued sifting through her partner's wallet.

She saw a small corner of a slip of paper poking out from behind the photo of Samantha. She pulled it out carefully and examined it. Sure enough, it was the note she had seen on the floor. "D.S." it said in his handwriting. For a man, Mulder had always had beautiful penmanship. She decided she would take the note home with her and look it over later.

Just as she was about to close the wallet and put it back in his jacket pocket, she saw another picture fall slightly from its tucked place behind Samantha's photo and into view. She put the note in her pocket and pulled the mystery photo from its place in his wallet. Upon taking it out she was both shocked and extremely flattered that Mulder would keep something like this in his wallet.

She didn't know what to think about either of her discoveries but quickly decided to pocket the small photo as well, hang his jacket back on the coat hanger and proceed out of office.

As she was driving home that night she thought about…well about everything. About her feelings for her partner, about his possible feelings for her, about how badly she wanted to get home so she could unfold the note and read it. Maybe there were answers in it, or maybe all that it contained were more questions. Either way, she settled on getting home, opening a bottle of wine and maybe after she had finished thinking, maybe she would call him. Maybe.


	4. The Confrontation

**Author's Note: Alright so one more chapter after this (I think). I didn't want to make this one too long in relation to the others :) Enjoy.**

 **Fox Mulder's Apartment**

 **Washington D.C.**

 **Friday**

 **8:30 pm**

He had gotten home a little over 20 minutes ago and was absolutely beat. He had stayed at the office later than he had wanted to. After visiting the archives, he had seen a case file in the X-Files department that he hadn't seen before and spent the next hour going over it. When he realized the time, and also realized he hadn't yet had any sort of solid food since taking a visit to the vending machine around 3 pm Mulder packed up his things and left the FBI building.

He was rummaging through his kitchen looking for something to eat when the phone rang. He glanced over at it, but decided to let it go to voicemail. He didn't feel like dealing with anything or anyone for the rest of the night.

"Mulder it's me," Scully's voice said over the receiver. "I hope you're not still at work-,"

"Hey Scully," he said quickly moving from the fridge to the counter and picking up the phone.

"Oh, hey Mulder, what's going on?" she asked quite casually. He was a bit taken by her seemingly friendly intent.

"Uh, not much, just about to eat, why did you call?" he asked.

"Do you want to come over? I have some leftover linguini you could eat," she proposed. "And I know it's better than anything you've got at your place."

"I've got good food at my place!" he said defensively, purposely lying to entice her to tease him.

"Mulder when we were undercover I cooked for you every night," she replied.

" _Almost_ every night, but yes Scully you make a wonderful housewife and I thank you for that," he said now teasing her. He couldn't help but make innuendo's and crack wise jokes around her, she just accepted them with such ease that nobody else did. He hoped she was blushing, he loved it when her cheeks went that dark shade of red.

"Well come over then," she said simply. It was more of a command than an invitation and he knew it.

"The thrill is back," he said jokingly.

"See you in a bit Mulder," she said giggling. He hung up the phone and quickly changed into jeans, a t-shirt and his classic leather jacket. Then he headed out of his apartment keys and wallet in hand ready to go over to Scully's. Maybe she had forgiven him for snapping at her the other day. Regardless, his tired mental state was quickly replaced with excitement and a dangerous hunger for more than just the linguini.

 **Dana Scully's Apartment**

 **Washington D.C.**

 **Friday**

 **8:56 pm**

He rode up to her apartment alone in the elevator and thought about what he would say to her. What could he say to her? He should probably apologize first, or maybe he should just forget about it, maybe she had already. Hell, if she was inviting him to her apartment on a Friday night maybe something had changed…he tried to snap himself out of it. He was her partner, her coworker, and she was his. He couldn't ruin what they had by blurting out something he might regret or trying to do something rash like kiss her. Still, he couldn't keep a part of his mind from thinking about her soft, pink, perfect lips. The elevator doors opened and he walked down her hallway to the door of her apartment. He knocked three times and shortly thereafter she yelled from the other side.

"It's open Mulder!"

He walked in and saw her sitting on her couch wearing her reading glasses. She set down her book but didn't get up from her spot on the sofa.

"The linguini is in the fridge Mulder, and can you grab me a beer?" she said looking over at him with those all-too-familiar blue eyes.

"Yeah," he replied closing her front door and walking into her kitchen. He quickly retrieved the linguini and two beers. He put the linguini in the microwave and brought her the beer as he sat down next to her on the couch, only leaving a few inches of space between his leg and hers.

"So what are you reading?" he asked pretending to be interested. His mind however was elsewhere, currently occupied by how damn sexy she looked in her low-cut V-neck sweater and blue jeans.

"It's called 'Pleasures of the Mind' and its written by this famous psychologist Albert Jenkins," she replied picking up the novel and showing it to Mulder. "You might like it actually, he really explores how the human brain can pick up on the smallest of signals and release large amounts of dopamine."

Yeah the smallest of signals, he was familiar with picking up a few of those. Just then the microwave dinged and he got up from the couch to retrieve the linguini. Once he had made it to the kitchen she spoke again breaking the irrefutable silence.

"You know Mulder, it's not the most interesting thing I've read this week though," she said teasingly.

He sensed her change in attitude and adjusted his own in return. "Oh yeah? Been reading more saucy romance novels lately?" he asked poking fun at the time he had caught her reading one in the office while he was supposed to have been at a meeting.

There was a slight pause and he looked over at her, she was holding a piece of paper up and began to recite from it.

" _Dear Dana, I don't know if you'll ever read this-,"_ she began to say but was interrupted by Mulder dropping the linguini on the counter and practically running over to where she was sitting. She saw him coming and stood up from the couch backing away keeping one arm out as if to stop him.

"Scully where did you, that's not for-," he tried to say.

" _I guess I just needed to write it down for my own sanity_ ," she continued keeping him at a distance. She was backed up against the window by him as he reached for the paper that she had mysteriously gotten ahold of. She quickly clutched it to her chest as he towered over her small frame. She was leaning against the glass window and staring up at him as he glared back at her.

"Give me the note Scully," he instructed her while holding out his hand.

She giggled and easily slipped underneath his left arm headed back towards the couch.

" _It isn't easy for me to be your partner and not say anything,"_ she recited as he advanced towards her again.

How much had she read…and how in the hell did she get it? He approached her again and instead of running away she stuffed the note in her pocket and crossed her arms smiling up at him.

"Scully," he warned, "give me the note."

"No," she said simply.

Alright. So that's how it was going to be. He put one hand on her waist holding her so she couldn't run away again and reached for her pocket with the other one. She slapped his hand playfully and fell backwards onto the couch dragging him with her.

He landed on top of her and began to forcefully try and reach into her pocket. She pushed up on him with one hand and with the other slapped his prying fingers away from her pocket. Under any other circumstances, he would have tried to kiss her, but this was different.

"Scully," he said while she giggled away staring back into his eyes. Damnit he wished she wouldn't do that, he could never resist her gaze, especially while lying on top of her.

"Yes Mulder?" she asked innocently.

"Scully, where did you get that note?" he asked seriously.

"I uh, I found it," she answered. She couldn't help but smile. She had the man of her dreams lying on top of her and he smelled so damn good. She would talk to him and they would have their serious conversation sure, but only after she had a little more fun.

"Uh huh," he said plainly. "And you found it where exactly?"

"In your wallet…," she answered looking away from him momentarily. "You won't report me to the FBI will you? I mean I know its unprofessional to steal from your coworkers but technically that note is mine," she said cutely.

"That note is private," he said sternly. He didn't want to come off as offended but at this point he really had no other choice, he needed that note back.

"Not anymore," she replied.

"Did you read it all?" he asked realizing he wasn't getting it out of her pocket anytime soon.

She nodded and giggled again. Goddamnit she was so adorably infuriating.

He sighed. "Can I have the note back? Please?"

She shook her head indicating a no and leaned up into him so she could whisper in his ear.

"I saw the picture too," she said softly. He felt her hot breath on his neck and inhaled her scent, she was wearing a new perfume, and a sexier one at that. He had to stop himself before this went any further. Mulder got up off of her and headed for the front door to her apartment. Reaching for the doorknob her voice interrupted him.

"Where are you going?" she asked sounding concerned.

He turned to look at her, she was now standing in her living room and had set down her glasses on the coffee table.

"Home Scully, I'm going home." He turned the doorknob.

"You are home."

He turned back once more and stared back at his partner. Her demeanor had suddenly changed from playful and flirty to serious and firm.

"At least," she said pulling the crumpled note out of her pocket, "that's what you said in this."


	5. Eternity

**Author's Note: Last chapter, hope you all enjoyed! _From Here To Eternity_ on the 11.22.63 Soundtrack really goes well with this ending if you want a good cry :P Easily my favorite fanfic I've written to date. **

**Dana Scully's Apartment**

 **Washington D.C.**

 **Friday**

 **9:05 pm**

Mulder had hardly been in her apartment ten minutes and he was already on his way out. But one thing was keeping him frozen in place, his wonderful, beautiful, love-of-his-life partner, Scully.

"At least that's what you said in this," she said as he kept his eyes locked with hers. He broke away momentarily to look at the note he had written after the events in Antarctica. It was crumpled and ripped in the corner, but she still held it firmly in her grasp.

He let his hand fall from the doorknob and sighed. "Scully, I wrote that note after I pulled your frozen body out of the ice in Antarctica…I was afraid I had lost you, lost the X-Files, lost everything. I just needed to…"

"Write it down," she said finishing his sentence. He looked back to her and nodded.

"I'm sorry if it makes you uncomfortable Scully but it's the truth, I can't deny it anymore. If…if you want to leave that's fine, I'm just glad you know how-,"

"You think I want to leave?" she asked cutting him off and walking closer to him. They were now within two feet of each other.

He sighed and nodded whilst maintaining eye contact with her big ocean-blue eyes. She took three steps closer so she was now right in front of him, their chests only separated by a few centimeters. He stared down at the ground as she wrapped her arms around his neck and surprisingly pressed her cloud-like lips against his pushing his head up to look at her. He did and she quickly broke away, the kiss only lasting a second or two.

She kept her arms wrapped around his neck and glared up at him giving him the famous 'Mulder I'm serious' look. He didn't know what to think until she said it for him.

"I've never wanted to leave you Mulder, and I never will," she spoke softly and from the heart. After reading his note a million times before he had arrived to her apartment, she had made up her mind on what she wanted.

"Scully I-,"

"Shhh," she said putting a finger on his lips to silence him. "Just tell me all those things you wrote are still true."

He nodded slowly and she smiled up at him. He couldn't help but smile back. He still had some questions for her, but they could wait. In this moment, it was finally their time.

He leaned down, took her face in his hands and kissed her. This time the kiss contained much more passion, more love and more truth than the last one. They stood in her foyer for what seemed like forever before breaking the kiss.

She slid her hand across his cheek as tears began to form in her eyes. He took notice of this and wiped them away lightly with his thumb. She chuckled and took his hands in hers leading him away from her front door and to her bedroom. He followed close behind her, never letting go of her hands.

She sat down on her bed first and patted a spot on the mattress next to her.

He looked down at her and grinned. "Are you enticing me to sleep with you Scully?"

"Is it working?" she asked sweetly.

"I think you know the answer to that," he said as he took a seat on her bed next to her.

Their lips met again, this time quickly opening and letting each other's tongues explore each other's mouths. The urge to make love to the woman he loved had never been so strong in his life.

She felt him envelop her in his arms and lay her down on her bed, as if he owned her. He _did_ own her now, and she owned him. They had now created a stronger bond than that of their partnership and friendship, a new bond formed by a new, unbreakable love.

Scully broke the kiss just momentarily. She had a single question that needed answering right away. When she broke away he opened his eyes and stared down into hers. He never wanted to not see those eyes, the eyes that he had fallen in love with.

"What is it?" he asked sweetly.

"The picture you kept behind the note," she said softly holding his face in her palms. "Do you really think…" she began to cry; a few tears ran down her cheeks as she looked away.

He lightly brought her chin back to him so he could look into her eyes again. She was even beautiful when she cried.

"Do I really think…," he trailed off letting her gather her thoughts.

She smiled and continued as best she could as the salty water droplets streaked down her face.

"Do you…do you really think of me…of us…do you think we could be that one day?" she asked as she wrapped her arms around his neck once again thinking about the photo she had taken out of his wallet earlier that day. It was a photo of the two of them, her in a white wedding dress and he in a fancy grey suit at their 'wedding day'. It had been taken by an FBI photographer for their undercover assignment in California. Although the photo itself was staged, she finally realized their smiles in that picture couldn't be any more real.

He smiled and stared back at her with all the love he could give.

"I know we'll be that one day."

And with that she kissed him like she had never kissed anyone before. The raw passion and love she felt for him in that moment broke through her hard exterior and invaded her heart, completing her. For the first time in her life, she felt like a whole person.

 _Dear Dana,_

 _I don't know if you'll ever read this, I guess I just needed to write it down for my own sanity. It isn't easy for me to be your partner and not say anything. This note is my way of saying it. For six years I've loved you. At first it was a friendship love, but after your abduction and your cancer, I came to realize that…that if I lost you I would lose my one true love. For six years we've tried our best to solve countless X-Files and fight against unknown government conspirators who wish to prevent us from finding the truth. I had a revelation after Antarctica, after I almost lost you again, that there was a bigger truth out there than the existence of extraterrestrial life forms. That truth is you, Dana. You are my everything, and I am not a complete person without you by my side. It took me so long to see it, the truth was clouded by my doubts that you couldn't possibly love me. That I was alone in my struggles, both personal and professional. But after the possibility of losing you again arose, I knew I couldn't let my feelings lay dormant. I'm writing you this because I want you to know, no matter what happens to me, I will always love you Dana Katherine Scully, and I always have._

 _-Yours eternally, Fox_


End file.
